Motorists get instant fines relief
Motorists who commit minor traffic offences such as talking on the phone while driving or exceeding speed limits will from January pay instant fines of between Sh500 and Sh10,000 as part of fresh efforts to reduce corruption and restore sanity on Kenyan roads.
The motorists will also no longer be arrested, have their vehicles towed to police stations or pay fines in cash, blocking the common avenues traffic police officers and court officials use to collect bribes.
The list of minor violations and their corresponding fines published by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) includes speeding, motorcycle riding without protective gear, failing to produce a driving licence when asked to do so by a uniformed police officer and failure to fasten seat belts.
Offenders will no longer be required to go to court but will instead pay instant fines using mobile money and get a standard receipt for it.
No cash will be accepted.
NTSA director-general Francis Meja said the electronic payment platform is particularly important for the effort which besides saving motorist the pain of going to court aims to cut the flow of bribes to the pockets of corrupt traffic policemen.
“Payment of instant fines will come into force in January after the Transport secretary gazettes them,” Mr Meja told the Business Daily yesterday, adding that the mobile payments are also expected to boost government revenue.
Read the full story here.
SOURCE: Business Daily
